The Philippine adaptation of It’s Okay to Not Be Okay premiered on Netflix on July 18, 2025, with early access for subscribers. It’s also available on iWant starting July 19, and airs on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, A2Z, and TV5 beginning July 21, weeknights at 8:45 PM2.
Whether you prefer streaming or traditional TV, the series is widely accessible across platforms. Filipino viewers can enjoy it with Filipino audio and subtitles, making it easy to follow and emotionally resonant.
Production Details: A Filipino Reimagining of a Global Hit
The original Korean drama It’s Okay to Not Be Okay was a global sensation in 2020, praised for its sensitive portrayal of mental health. The Philippine adaptation, produced by ABS-CBN’s Star Creatives, is a bold and heartfelt reimagining that retains the emotional depth of the original while grounding it in Filipino culture.
Key Production Facts:
- Directors: Mae Cruz-Alviar and Raymond Ocampo
- Creative Producer: Henry Quitain
- Production Company: ABS-CBN Studios
- Filming Locations: Bacolod, Negros Islands, and Metro Manila
- Language: Filipino
- Genre: Romantic comedy, psychological drama
Director Mae Cruz-Alviar emphasized the importance of adapting the story to Filipino sensibilities, especially around mental health. “We had to make sure it’s suitable for how the Filipino audience will perceive the topic,” she said.
The series replaces Korea’s snowy landscapes with the Philippines’ rainy and sunny seasons, and incorporates Filipino folklore, illustrations, and family dynamics to make the story more relatable.
Characters and Cast
The adaptation introduces a powerful trio of lead characters, each portrayed by some of the Philippines’ most respected actors.
- Anne Curtis as Emilia “Mia” Hernandez
- A brilliant but emotionally distant children’s book author with antisocial personality disorder
- Joshua Garcia as Patrick “Patpat” Gonzales
- A psychiatric ward caregiver devoted to his autistic older brother Joshua Garcia
- Carlo Aquino as Matthew “Matmat” Gonzales
- Patpat’s older brother, a creative soul on the autism spectrum
Supporting Cast:
- Enchong Dee as Vincent (Mia’s manager)
- Xyriel Manabat as Matel
- Rio Locsin as Nanay Liwanag
- Michael De Mesa as Mr. Hernandez (Mia’s father)
- Agot Isidro, Ana Abad Santos, Kaori Oinuma, Francis Magundayao, Alora Sasam, Bianca De Vera, Aljon Mendoza, and many more
Anne Curtis returns to teleseryes after a decade, saying the role was “an instant yes” because of her love for the original series. Joshua Garcia and Carlo Aquino both underwent emotional and immersive preparation, including workshops and school visits to understand autism and caregiver burnout.
Edd's Takeaway
The Philippine remake of It’s Okay to Not Be Okay didn’t just land on my screen—it sank into my chest. Like a wave that’s soft on the surface but heavy underneath. Beautiful. Honest. Raw in a way that doesn’t scream, just stays with you.
Anne Curtis as Mia? She felt like a mirror—like that part of us that’s been labeled “too much” for too long finally getting the chance to just be. Every glance, every crack in her voice—it carried something real. Like grief wrapped in grace. And Joshua Garcia as Patpat? He was that kind of quiet strength you see in real life but rarely on TV. That neighbor who’s always smiling, but you just know he’s carrying more than he lets on.
Then there’s Carlo Aquino. He didn’t act Matmat—he embodied him. You don’t watch Carlo perform, you feel him. He moved like he knew Matmat’s pain before the cameras even rolled.
Yeah, sure, some folks were skeptical when the remake was announced. The usual talk: “Another remake?” “Can Anne really pull it off?” But once you actually sit down and watch it—not just with your eyes but with your *heart*—those doubts start to dissolve.
What hit hardest for me was how the show handled mental health—not as a headline, not as a gimmick—but as a quiet, constant presence in a Filipino household. The unspoken stuff. The heavy silences. The way we laugh off what hurts, or hide it behind “okay lang ako.” It’s not polished. It’s not neat. But that’s exactly why it works. That’s why it matters.
It’s not a perfect series. But honestly? Neither are we. And maybe that’s the whole point.
It feels like home—messy, complicated, tender in places we don’t always show. And in a world where we’re all trying to keep it together, this show gently, lovingly reminds us: it's okay if we don’t.
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